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Old 05-21-2018, 08:32 PM
swaghauler swaghauler is offline
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Originally Posted by mpipes View Post
I really think V2 and 2.2 get things wrong with the fallout from the Coup. I think that makes everyone start going "wait a minute....." with the headlong rush to de-mobilize at least slowing. Once a shooting war broke out in China, things would have gone into overdrive (IMO) to mobilize and the US would have started actually forming new division. By November 1996, all of NATO would have been executing their mobilization plans and getting weapons production geared up to wartime planning.

Russia I think pretty much gets its act together...save the Motherland and all...it worked in 1941 and I think would have worked in 1995. Not that are back at their peak by 1/1997, but they are not a basket case like they were historically either.
I would love to play "Devil's Advocate" and give some options for the CCN's being updated in V2.2 here. These come from plans the Navy put forth in the Early 90's that my friend Tim found and told me about.

The USS California and South Carolina:

The cruisers would get the Aegis upgrade that was initially proposed along with Link 12 Data Management Upgrades AND COMPLETE Digital Upgrades (they received the initial "Digital Tartar Upgrades in the 80's). These and weapons, environmental, and powerplant upgrades would allow the Navy to reduce her crew of 530 to 398. That's a HUGE saving in operational costs.

They would have replaced the MK16 "matchbox" ASROC Launcher (and her loading forecastle/torpedo room in front of it) and both MK13 "one-armed bandit"/Standard Launchers (which contained 80 missiles each) with SIX of the newly available SECOND GENERATION MK41 VLS (the 32-round variant) with two VLS launchers placed in each location. This would have given both ships 192 VLS cells in 3 64-cell groupings (with 1 missile type per 8 missile cells in a 64-cell group) and made them the most powerful cruisers afloat in the 90's (AND even today). Two MK32 (12") Triple Torpedo Tubes would be mounted forward of the ship's launches. The upgrade still included the 2 X 4 MK141 Harpoon Box Launchers behind the forward deckhouse, as well as the 2 X 4 MK143 ABL Tomahawk Launchers on either side of the rear deck (facing forward). The upgrade would DOUBLE the Phalanx/SEAWIZ 20mm from two to FOUR. I think you might see the two Phalanx/SEAWIZ alongside the upper deckhouse (behind the Harpoons) and one each forward of the deckhouse and above the after 5". The Navy might even upgrade those two to 11-round SEARAM Launchers to increase interception range.

I have no doubt that had those upgrades been done, the USS California and the USS South Carolina would be sailing today.

The Virginia Class Upgrade:

The Virginia Class ships needed more work. Their "fantail hangers" leaked badly and their ASW helo were deleted in their 1980's update. The general updates would decrease their crew requirement from 528 to 396. They would replace EACH of their two MK26 Launchers with TWO Second-Generation (32-round) MK41 VLS Launchers for 128 total VLS launch cells (the same as the Ticos). The update called for adding two more Phalanx/SEAWIZ systems fore and aft (just like the Californias). They would keep their Harpoons (2 X 4) and Tomahawks (2 X 4). It also called for rebuilding the fantail and reinforcing the helipad (with the hanger already deleted in the 80's update).

This is where I'd make one "creative change" to her rebuild. The RAST was revolutionary for helos and a new class of US Ship, the Cyclones, introduced the next new thing. A launch ramp for RIBs that allowed her to disembark or embark RIBs UNDERWAY. This was done for the SEALs but has found its way onto ALL the newer US ships. The hanger space on the fantail could have been modified to a RIB-retrieval dock and the Virginias could have made good use of this rescuing downed pilots or doing "anti-piracy" work. This would allow the relocation of the Tomahawks alongside the deckhouse and closer to the ship's center of gravity.

I think the four Virginia Class Cruisers would still be sailing if this update had occurred. In the US Navy's defense, The Carolina's would have cost about 3 Billion Dollars to do and the four Virginia's would have run around 6 Billion Dollars, as much as an Aircraft Carrier in the 1990's.

Last edited by swaghauler; 05-30-2018 at 04:54 PM.
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